Puffins are known for digging burrows and mating for life (just like the Egyptian Goose) but a recent discovery has made the seabird seem even more unique. British ornithologist, Jamie Dunning, found that the beaks of Atlantic puffins are fluorescent and glow a bright blue when placed under an ultraviolet light. Dunning made the discovery back in…Read More
Tag: birdwatching
Video of Crows divebombing Crowned Eagle at International Cricket Match
I recently took this video of a group of 3 to 4 Crows chasing a Crowned Eagle at international cricket match between South Africa and Bangladesh. The Eagle later got one of the chicks and we saw it flying away with the small bird in it’s talons. Excuse the quality of the footage – I…Read More
How to Take Excellent Bird Photos
Here’s an excellent, comprehensive course by the world-renowned photographer Jared Polin, showing you how to take better bird photos You are more Than AUTO You are smarter than your camera, so why let it make all the decisions for you? Your camera’s Auto feature may give you okay results, but who is happy…Read More
Ian Sinclair’s New SA Bird Pocketbook
From well-known South African Bird expert, Ian Sinclair, comes the latest in Struik Nature’s Pocket Guide series. This book covers an astonishing 500 southern African birds yet is small enough to fit in your pocket. You can also get the kindle version here (at a reduced price) to read on your mobile device. “Birds of…Read More
Hamerkop on Birding Planet
Hamerkop Video
I filmed this Hamerkop on my way home on the outskirts of East London (South Africa). It was crossing the road of the small causeway which provides a nice location for nature and wildlife very close to town. Here’s the HD Video: How to Identify a Hamerkop The Hamerkop (English translation is “Hammer Head”) is…Read More
Grey Crowned Cranes
Crowned Crane HD Video
I filmed this pair of Crowned Cranes on a farm in Stutterheim, Eastern Cape. It is the same place I filmed the Blue Cranes a few years ago. And, just the same as in the Blue Crane video, these Crowned Cranes appeared to putting on the mating dance. Both sexes enjoy dancing, and the breeding…Read More
Knysna (Turaco) Loerie – HD Video and Story
The Story: This is another bird I saw while trying out a new coffee shop (click here to see all the birds I’ve filmed while visiting coffee shops). It was a treat to get such a clear view of a Knysna Loerie (aka Knysna Turaco) in its natural habitat. It was the first time I…Read More
Black Shouldered Kite on Birding Planet
Black-Shouldered Kite Bird (HD Video)
I filmed this Black-Shouldered Kite at Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It’s a small raptor which enjoys wide open spaces. It has striking red eyes, and black shoulder patches which make it easily identifiable. The Black-Shouldered Kite likes to eat small rodents. They are often found alone, or in pairs,…Read More
Southern Red Bishop
Southern Red Bishop on Birding Planet (HD Video)
The Story: I filmed this Red Bishop at an outdoor coffee shop which overlooked a pond (not the same place where I filmed the Red-knobbed Coot). There were two or three male Red Bishops flitting in and out of the reeds of the pond, which is a tell-tale sign that it was breeding season as…Read More
Amazing Photos of Young Bird Impaled on Stick
Heidi Wilson sent in these fascinating photos to Birding Planet, of a young bird which had been impaled on a stick in her garden. She theorizes that a Fiscal Shrike (see details and video of Fiscal Shrikes here) raided a nearby nest with a new chick, perhaps a Cuckoo, and then impaled it on the…Read More
Red Knobbed Coot
Red-Knobbed Coot (nesting with her eggs) Video
The Story: I filmed this Red-Knobbed Coot (sometimes called the Crested Coot) while sitting in restaurant which overlooked a large pond. There were some rocks and reeds which made for some decent nesting spots. There was also an island in the middle of the pond, with some trees on it, where dozens of weavers had…Read More
Red Billed Wood-Hoopoe (HD Video) (aka Green WoodHoopoe)
I filmed these Red-Billed Woodhoopoes in a garden in East London, South Africa. It is also sometimes known as the Green Wood-Hoopoe. Click play to watch the video of the Red-Bill Wood-Hoopoes It has a long, curved red bill, red legs and white wingbars. The long tail has white bars in the outer feathers.…Read More
Cape White-Eye on Birding Planet
Cape White-Eye Video
The Story: I’ve often found this bird a difficult one to film, for two reasons: 1) they are small and very quick, flitting from branch to another, hardly ever sitting still and 2) they seem very shy and prefer to go deep into a bush than sit out in the open. Having said that I…Read More
Brown-Hooded Kingfisher on Birding Planet
Black Bird Walk
This morning I woke up early and went for a quick birding walk in my neighbourhood. It turned out to be a black bird morning as I saw Black-Collared Barbets Black Sunbirds Black-eyed Bulbuls Black-headed Orioles As well as Hadedas, Cape Turtle Doves, Cape Weavers, Red Winged Starlings and… this Brown-Hooded Kingfisher: (click on image…Read More
